After my family and I enjoyed several handfuls of pistachios at a get- together last weekend, I was surprised to hear yesterday about the latest food recall.
Federal food officials are warning Americans to avoid any food containing pistachios because of possible salmonella contamination. (Just like the recent problems with peanuts.)
All of this food recalling makes a person wonder if anything is really safe to eat anymore?
In the past it wasn’t uncommon to hear of illnesses caused by foods like shellfish, hamburger, or undercooked pork and chicken. This didn’t cause much concern for non meat eaters like myself…but now with foods like spinach, tomatoes, peanuts, and pistachios being possible sources of salmonella poisoning in recent months, it’s hitting much closer to home.
Although I suppose we shouldn’t go around being obsessive compulsive about germs on our food, maybe we should take this as a sign that it’s time to go back to the days of growing more of our own food, joining a CSA, or supporting the local farmer’s market.
If more of our nation’s food was supplied to communities by smaller local farms instead of huge food processing corporations, maybe we wouldn’t have the food scares that are now becoming all too common.
Image credit: Rock Paper Image on flickr Creative Commons.
Using the local farmer’s market might be a good idea if the farmer actually grows his own food. Too often the sellers at the farmer’s market are selling the same product that the local Grocer sells. Your best bet is to utilize the U-Pick farms where YOU actually pic the produce. Most are or are going to all organic produce.
Check out their live stock facilities if they offer fresh eggs or fresh/frozen organic meats. What you’re looking for is conditions where the animals are not overcrowded. Free-range type farms, taking up more acreage, are better for livestock raising than the overcrowded “factory farms” that are always in the news.
I don’t know if this means the Antep variety from Turkey. I believe it’s only ones grown in California.